Straw Rocket Project

Overview: You will construct a straw rocket and use it to experiment with a variety of variable.
Remember, you will change only one variable at a time and record your data. You will take that data and
generate a graph in Microsoft Excel. Your graph will allow you look at your data in a visual sense to get a
better understanding of how your variables in each experiment lead to changes in distance traveled by
the rocket. Please read all directions carefully and have fun learning about rockets!!!
Rocket Design: You determine fin shape, number of fins, and nose cone shape. Remember; once you
construct your rocket only make changes that each experiment calls for.
Constraints:
a. Rocket will have a minimum of 2 fins and a maximum of 5
b. Maximum mass of clay is 2 grams
c. Minimum length of rocket is 10 cm
Supply List:
a. 1 Mylar straw
b. 2 grams of clay
c. 1 10x10 cm photo paper for fins
d. Tape for fins
e. Rocket launcher
f. Roll of paper with measurement in cm
Instructions:
1. Sketch the rocket design on a piece of paper. Be sure to include the body, nose cone, and fins.
2. Draw your chosen fin design on the photo paper and cut out as many fins as you need. The fins
should all be the same size and shape.
3. Cut the straw out to the desired length. Note: you must complete your first experiment with the
uncut straw.
4. Construct your rocket. Use the tape to hold the fins on the body. Attach the fins so they are
evenly spaced around the rocket body. Trim off any excess tape.
5. Roll the clay up and mold it to the front end of the straw.
Proceed to the launching pad: Open your straw rocket document and copy down the 3 tables for data
collection. As you conduct your experiment fill in your data tables. When data collection is complete you
will enter the data in your Straw Rocket Word document. Follow the directions to answer hypothesis
questions, complete graphs in Excel, and answer comparison and conclusion questions based on your
graph results. You will find the 2
nd
page of this project contains the directions we followed regarding
Excel spreadsheets and graphing. Please refer to the tutorial if you are having difficulties graphing.
Also, we have previously studied Newtons 2
nd
Law F=ma. Be sure to include how Newtons 2
nd
Law
applies to your experiment when mass varies. You must discuss how changing one value affects the
value of another in the formula. Are they proportional or inversely proportional?

Excel Directions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI_7oc-E3h0 Please watch this video 1
st
for a visual tutorial
1. Open Microsoft Excel you will find the icon in your ZenWorks screen
2. Click your cursor in cell A1 and enter the number 1 and then press enter
3. Enter the number 2 in cell A2, 3 in cell A3, 4 in cell A4, and 5 in cell A5
4. Click your cursor in cell B1 and enter the number 5 and then press enter
5. Enter the number 10 in cell B2, 15 in cell B3, 20 in cell B4, and 25 in cell B5
6. Left click cursor in cell A1 and hold click as you drag downward highlighting all your entries in both A &
B columns NOTE: All data will be highlighted except for A1
7. Now click on Insert in the tool bar
8. Locate Charts on the toolbar to start you will choose Scatter
9. When you click on Scatter graph a window will appear with options for Scatter graph types
10. You will choose the first option in the upper left a graph will appear on your spreadsheet
11. Under Chart Tools on the toolbar click on Design Find Chart Layouts choose the first one on the left
which is Layout 1
12. On your graph click on the word Chart Title and a box will appear around the word
13. Click your cursor after the last letter on the right left click hold and drag your cursor to highlight the
words Chart Title
14. You will type the title Sand Bag Experiment
15. On your graph click on the horizontal (x-axis) Axis Title and a box will appear around the word
16. Click your cursor after the last letter on the right left click hold and drag your cursor to highlight the
words Axis Title
17. Type the words Number of Sand bags (#)
18. On your graph click on the vertical (y-axis) Axis Title and a box will appear around the word
19. Click your cursor after the last letter on the top left click hold and drag your cursor down to highlight the
words Axis Title
20. Type the words Weight of Sand Bags (lbs)
21. You will now rename your key. It will say Series1 right now
22. Left click on Series1 to highlight a box around the word
23. Right click on Series1 and a window will appear choose Select Data
24. In the new window that appears click on Series1 that is under the word add the row will now appear blue
25. Now click on the word Edit a new window will appear with the cursor blinking in the Series Name box
26. Type in Sand Bag vs. Weight in the Series Name box now press OK when the next window appears
press OK again
27. Right click on any data point on your graph and a new window will appear
28. In that new window click on Add Trendline and another new window will appear
29. Click on the circle to the left of Linear this will add a Linear Trendline through your data points
30. You should now have a complete graph see what your final product should look like on page 2
31. Use the same numbers you entered in your Excel spreadsheet to experiment with different types of graphs.
We will be using column graphs for our Straw Rocket Project so be sure to try them out.
Save all of your graphs on the Excel spreadsheet for grading.
32. You will now send this graph to me electronically to be graded follow steps 32- 34 to send your
spreadsheet and graph to me in the G:Drive for grading
33. Save your Excel document in the same manner you would a word document.
34. Click on File and then Save As Name the file lastnameexcel and click Save
35. Click on File and then click on Open right click on your lastnameexcel spreadsheet and scroll down
and left click on Copy on the left side of your screen now click on Shared student Shared
Schumacher click on your period click on the Excel folder right click in an open space anywhere in
the window and click paste you have completed your assignment when your file appears at the bottom of
the list



Varying Rocket Length
Hypothesis: How do you think the length of the rocket will affect the distance the rocket will
travel? Please record your hypothesis before conducting the experiment. Answer in red:

Data: Record the data from the experiment in the following table.
Body Length Launch 1 (cm) Launch 2 (cm) Launch 3 (cm) Average (cm)
Rocket A 20 630 625 634 630
Rocket B 10 882 885 882 883

Excel Graphing: complete a column graph. You will graph body length vs average distance.

Conclusion: What conclusion can you make about the relationship between the straw rockets
body length and the distance the rocket traveled? Does Newtons 2
nd
Law play a part in this
experiment? Explain your answer. Answer in red.




Comparison: How does your conclusion compare to your original hypothesis? Answer in red.
Rocket A (20 cm) Rocket B (10 cm)
Distance 630 883
0
200
400
600
800
1000
D
i
s
t
a
n
c
e

(
c
m
)

Rocket Length


Varying Nose Cone Mass
Hypothesis: How do you think the mass of the nose cone will affect the distance the rocket will
travel? Please record your hypothesis before conducting the experiment. Answer in red:

Data: Record the data from the experiment in the following table.
Nose Cone
Mass (grams)
Launch 1
(cm)
Launch 2
(cm)
Launch 3
(cm)
Average
Distance (cm)
Nose Cone A 2 880 885 884 883
Nose Cone B 4 596 595 597 596
Nose Cone C 6 330 335 333 333

Excel Graphing: complete a column graph. You will graph body length vs average distance.

Conclusion: What conclusion can you make about the relationship between the straw rockets
Nose Cone mass and the distance the rocket traveled? How would this play a part in real rocket
launches? Does Newtons 2
nd
Law play a part in this experiment? Explain your answer. Answer
in red.



Nose Cone A
2g
Nose Cone B
4g
Nose Cone C
6g
Distance 883 596 333
0
200
400
600
800
1000
D
i
s
t
a
n
c
e

(
c
m
)

Nose Cone Mass
Comparison: How does your conclusion compare to your original hypothesis? Answer in red.

Varying Nose Cone Mass
Hypothesis: How do you think varying the angle of the rocket will affect the distance the rocket
will travel? Please record your hypothesis before conducting the experiment. Answer in red:

Data: Record the data from the experiment in the following table.
Launch Angle
(degrees)
Launch 1
(cm)
Launch 2
(cm)
Average Distance
(cm)
15 357 350 354
30 540 560 550
45 600 610 605
60 440 460 450
75 305 315 310

Excel Graphing: complete a column graph. You will graph body length vs average distance.

Conclusion: What conclusion can you make about the relationship between the straw rockets
Launch angle and the distance the rocket traveled? How would this play a part in real rocket
launches? Would launch angle be important? Why or why not. Does Newtons 2
nd
Law play a
part in this experiment? Explain your answer. Answer in red.



1 2 3 4 5
Angle (degrees) 15 30 45 60 75
Distance (cm) 354 550 605 450 310
0
200
400
600
800
D
i
s
t
a
n
c
e

(
c
m
)

Varying Launch Angle
Comparison: How does your conclusion compare to your original hypothesis? Answer in red.

Project assessment:
1. Did you feel the step by step Excel instructions were clear? If yes explain what you liked
about them. If no explain what parts were difficult to follow.

2. Do you have any suggestion on making the Excel directions easier to follow?


3. What types of Excel graphs did you find user friendly and easy to construct?

4. What types of Excel graphs did you find challenging and difficult to construct. Why were
some of the challenges you faced?


5. Do you feel the added graphing helped you to understand the experiment better?

6. Did the added Excel graphing assignments allow you to better see the proportion
changes in the formula F=ma?

7. Did you get a better overall understanding of the Straw Rocket Project with the Excel
graphing exercises? How did the graphing help or hurt your understanding?

8.